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Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution?
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21 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
Well my position is that your lighting fixtures, gels, diffusion tools and rigging knowledge are your creative tools as a dp and a gaffer akin to paintbrushes and different kinds of paint without which there is no art or creativity happening.
But that aside this book is a staple of the industry and will serve you well
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240810759/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_X2wrFbF7ARJGJ
First of all, don't call it "the grip," that's like your mom calling it "the Facebook."
> nothing important only c-stands
Arguably one of the most important stands on a set.
I recommend Set Lighting Technician's Handbook by Harry C. Box. It includes a ton of information about lighting, power, and grip on set.
Page 139-140 of the fourth edition Set Lighting Technicians Handbook.
Using diffusion makes the source larger relative to the subject.
We move lamps to control shadows all the time, at least in Atlanta. I'm sure in other parts of the world optical physics works differently.
Work is just starting to pick up for me. I havent had shit in 6 months then got called 3 times this week :)
If you've been in the military and worked as an industrial electrician, you'd fit right into the grip and electric teams. The grip union is local 80 and the electric union is 728. Grip side deals with constructing rigs for lights and cameras. The electrician side is running the power distro and all the actual lights on set.
If you come onto a set as a PA, meet the key grip and Gaffer and get them your info, then work your ass off. 100% of my work comes from word of mouth. I would also recommend the set lighting technician's handbook, if you are interested in this route. It has a lot of good info for someone new.
Save your money.
Grab the grip and lighting book from Harry Box (yes it’s a terrible name). It’s the book we use on film sets, it’s an easy read and has some awful jokes in it too.
Watch every film you can, and the commentaries.
Watch thing in theaters, Hollywood theater, watch rare things at movie madness.
Get a subscription to American Cinematographers magazine. (Read old articles.)
Buy a camera. 6k blackmagic or canon 5D miv. Have an iPhone (works easily, and easy to edit on.)
Have fun. Be curious. Be a happy puppy, and treat everyone fairly. Punch up, never punch down.
If you want a job in the film business, know that you want to do it for free...for love, if you do it only for money...you will fail.
I personally use this book a lot: https://www.amazon.ca/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759/ref=nodl_
I got in school and refer back to it sometimes. There’s a lot of info about basic lighting skills, colour temperature, techniques and tips and tricks. It also has info about power and distribution of power which isn’t relevant to what you want to learn but nice to know, haha. The newest edition should cover LED too cuz LED lighting has exploded in the last couple years. There’s also a Grip one from the same publishers I own but I rarely even crack that open, haha :)
Perhaps take a look at the Set Lighting Technicians Handbook. https://www.amazon.ca/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759
Might be more technical than you want.
Pretty much what you're looking for is China Ball. Soft light on a stick, works pretty good for most stuff.
Congrats on working on your first feature. If you haven't already I would suggest buying this It's packed full of brillant advice and information. There's a chapter on knots too!
LOL -
I light my house however my husband tells me it needs to be lit - which is warm white led bulbs from costco in many desk lamps.
My OFFICE is lit by a 24-inch paper lantern, with a 60w frosted incandescent.
I agree modifiers are a fantastic way to learn to control light of any kind.
If you want to dig in - https://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759
Step one, read Mr. Box.
Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook
Very technical, but you will learn a lot about the concepts.
Well, honestly I'd trust that if he offered you the gig he believes you can do what you need to do. But as always, the Set Lighting Technician's Handbook by Harry Box is a great place to start.
https://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759
> The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook
This one?
My favorite lighting-related resources are:
The Visual Story. This book is just amazing. It's about how people interpret everything you could possibly put in a frame. Empowering. It's not so much directly about lighting, but lighting is a tool you will use to accomplish what the book describes.
Set Lighting Technician's Handbook, every time I read in here I learn something new. I still haven't read it all (It's HUGE) but it's so worth the money. Gives you the techical knowledge to make the best decisions on set, as well pre-production. Needs to be paired with general cinematography-knowledge.
Matthew Scott's blog. Great for inspiration and new knowledge.
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know Broad, but nicely covers a lot of the things you can do as a filmmaker to tell the story. I remember thinking everyone in my film school HAD to read this after I finished it. Even though some parts weren't very relevant to me. It's perfect for a director, but you say you are a videographer so I'm sure you will find much use of it as well.
For basic lighting YouTube is your friend.
The Harry Box
Really covers a lot of lighting and grip. I have all editions and i keep one on my trailer as well as at my desk for reference.
http://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759
Also the Uva rigging guid at my desk for when I need to do notes for my riggers for larger stage rigs.
>Also, I don't know the various applications for each light. 1) When would I use a 1k key v. 2k key? 2) Is a 2k key too much for an over-the-shoulder dialogue shot?
There is no real answer for when to use a 1k or 2k as a key (or any other light for that matter), everything depends on your situation, both in the content you are shooting and the location in which you shoot. You can make cases for either, especially when considering how you plan on shaping the light (i.e. whether it is direct, a bounce, how much diffusion you plan on using, etc).
>3) What about 750w v 650w. How different are these?
If you mean two lights of the same kind in those wattages, then the answer is very little. Though I am not aware of any manufacturers that would make units in increments that small. Most 'families' of lights are constructed to work related to footcandles. However, Arri does make a 750w open face, and a 650w fresnel; if that happens to be what you're talking about, I'd suggest just try them out and see what you think of them!
Otherwise the difference you'll find is more about what kind of light it is, and less about the number attached. A 750w source 4 leko is very different from a 650w fresnel in quality/shape/intensity, but not very different in power draw, for example.
If you want to get techy, pick up Set Lighting Technician's Handbook by Harry Box.
For a lighter read, check out Film Lighting. It covers different lighting and well known directors, cinematographers, and gaffers talk about what they like about it and how they use it.
Read through this for the basics of being a grip/electric. As far as actually learning lighting and what looks good and how to get it, find a photographer whose got a space and is looking for some cheap labor in trade for explanations on what he's doing.
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